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Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe para-rowing team are expected to make their debut appearance at this year’s Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, after they got a bipartite invitation from FISA and the International Paralympic Committee.

The invitation comes after the team took part in a para-rowing training camp in Italy in April.

Rowing coach Rachel Davis has been working with the team since early this year and is behind the initiative.

Rowing Association of Zimbabwe chairman Miles Trustham said the team received a bipartite invitation from FISA, the world’s international federation for rowing and the International Paralympic Committee.

“We have been involved with able-bodied athletes for a long time already, so we already have two athletes going to Rio which was already huge.

“What’s exciting about this, para-rowing, it started small . . . we only started at the beginning of this year. We went to a regatta in April but we did more than the expected and as a result of that we have been given a bipartite to go to Rio,” said Trustham.

Trustham said as part of their preparations and a pre-requisite to compete in Rio in August, the team have to participate in the World Rowing Cup 3 in Poznan, Poland next week.

“The team departs Harare on Sunday the 12th of June. These same athletes will also be accredited with Rio Paralympic 2016 organising committee and entered as our LTAMix4+crew (Mixed Cox Four) at the Paralympic Games.

“The squad will be coached by Rachel Davis. From something which started as an experiment, we exceeded our wildest expectations and I can only attribute this to Rachel’s patience, resilience and determination which has got us to this point,” said Trustham.

Zimbabwe National Paralympic Committee secretary-general Lewis Garaba said it will be a learning curve for the team.

“I think it shows that we have the potential for other sports. So we need to open more avenues for sports for people living with disabilities. We have the potential to do better given enough time.

“It’s a learning curve and we will take it head on,” said Garaba.

Team

Men: Previous Wiri, Takudzwa Gwariro.

Women: Margaret Bangajena, Michelle Grant, Jessica (coxwain), Chipo Zhento (reserve).